Birdie and the Beast
by skullygal
Summary: Obviously, Beauty and the Beast (mostly Disney version) story. Gilbert has acted rude, forcing a spell on him. Matthew is dreaming of so much more. So what happens when they meet? Will Gilbert break the spell? Rated T: Language, Prucan and such, and suggested things. Read or not.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: Don't own either! _

**Anyway, I decided on Beauty and the Beast, mainly because my sister wanted this one first and was bothering me about it. So, here we go! Oh and if you haven't read the Little Merman, do so if you like USUK.**

**Enjoy~**

* * *

**BIRDIE AND THE BEAST**

**PROLOUGE**

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind.

But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away. But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress.

The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. And as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who live there. Ashamed of his monstrous form, the Beast concealed himself inside his castle with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world.

The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his twenty-first year. If he could learn to love another and earn their love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed, he fell into despair and lost all hope.

For who could ever learn to love a beast?

* * *

**Just filler, I guess. Anyway, can't wait to actually start this and it will contain some stuff from the Grimm's tale, but not too much because I know Beauty and the Beast like the back of my hand. I'm being serious. Sorry it's short.**

**By the way, the enchantress was Hungary. Just putting that out there. **


	2. Bonjour!

_**Disclaim**_

**This is where the story actually begins so enjoy~**

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**BIRDIE AND THE BEAST**

**CHAPTER ONE-**_**BONJOUR!**_

The chirping of birds filled the air as Matthew left his quaint little house to walk into town. He hummed under his breath as he walked, clutching a book and brushing some blond hair away from his face.

"Little town, it's a quiet village," Matthew sang under his breath, "Every day like the one before. Little town, full of little people, waking up to say-"

As Matthew entered the town, people's conversations flooded in, interrupting him. Mostly, all he heard was, "_Bonjour_!" He maneuvered his way through the crowd of people, unnoticed like always.

"There goes the baker with his tray like always," he sang to himself in a quiet tone. A woman smiled, gave the baker a coin, and took a roll from the top of the tray. "The same old bead and rolls to sell. Ev'ry morning just the same, since the morning that we came, to this poor provincial town." Matthew was about to round a corner when the baker finally noticed him.

"Good morning, Matthew!" he called. Matthew smiled, turned around, and hopped the small distance over to the bakery where the baker stood.

"Morning _monsieur,_" Matthew replied.

"Where are you off to?" the baker asked, turning to look inside the shop.

"The bookshop. I just finished the most wonderful book," Matthew showed the baker the book he was talking about, "about a beanstalk and ogre and-"

"That's nice," the baker said, not paying attention to Matthew. Not many people did; it was almost like he was invisible. "Felikis, the baguettes! Hurry up!" Matthew sighed and continued his walk through town.

"Look there he goes, that boy is strange no question," a group of women sing-song their gossip, stealing glances at Matthew. "Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?" One woman continued, "Never part of any crowd." The others nodded in agreement.

A barber in his shop looked down at Matthew wandering through the town and whispered to his customer, "'Cause his head's up on some cloud." The customer sighed.

The gossiping women shook their head at Matthew as he looked at his book. "No denying he's a funny boy, that Matt." He jumped onto the back of a moving wagon and the women gave a disapproving look.

"_Bonjour_," the driver of the wagon called to a women passing on the street.

The women smiled, waved, and called back, "Good day!"

"How is your family?" the diver asked. The cart moved quickly and passed a stand that sold meat. Matthew overheard a bit of the conversation as the man running the stand handed a pretty lady a slice of ham.

"_Bonjour_," the woman said. The man smiled, stared at her breast, and replied, "Good day." The woman smirked and asked, "How is your wife?" The man turned back in panic as a rolling pin hit his head.

A woman off the street practically juggled three crying babies as more children weaved around her legs. She turned to a merchant and commanded in a broken down voice, "I need six eggs!" She held her basket out as the children continued to cry and play and the merchant gave her a worried look.

"That's too expensive!" a man accused a merchant farther down the road. A woman stood by him and they both huffed and crossed their arms.

"There must be more than this provincial life," Matthew sighed. He jumped off the cart in front of the bookshop. He pushed open the door and it rang a bell that signaled to the owner he was here.

"Ah, Matthew," the owner said with a smile.

"Good morning," Matthew responded. "I've come to return the book I borrowed." He handed the book to the owner. The owner widened his eyes in surprise.

"Finished already?" he asked. Matthew nodded, climbing the small ladder to look at the top shelves for books.

"Oh, I couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new?" he questioned, scanning the shelves. The owner laughed and set the book Matthew had given him on the shelf.

"Not since yesterday."

"That's alright. I'll borrow…," Matthew looked through the shelves until he found a leather bound book on the top shelf, "this one." He showed the owner his choice.

"That one? But you've read it twice!" the owner exclaimed.

"Well it's my favorite," Matthew proclaimed. He hung off the side of the ladder, making it roll down its track of shelves. "Far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!"

He sighed and hopped down from the ladder. He wished his life was like that, but in truth, it was just like a stereotypical eighteenth century French boy's life. _What if it wasn't, eh?_ He thought to himself. But it was. The owner handed him the book he wished was his life.

"Well, if you like it all that much, it's yours!" he said, leading Matthew to the door.

"But sir-" Matthew began only to get a shake of the owner's head.

"I insist!" Matthew's face broke into a huge grin. He hardly noticed the men who were previously staring in the window turn around as he left the shop.

"Well, thank you. Thank you very much!" he called back to the owner as the door swung shut. He turned and began to walk home, nose buried in his book.

"Look there he goes, that boy is so peculiar!" the man intoned as they watched Matthew skip through a jump rope that a few children swung without even looking up from the book. "I wonder if he's feeling well."

"With a dreamy far-off look," a few women clucked.

A girl emptied a bucket of water down a drain that would douse Matthew. He, still not looking at anything but the story, flipped up a sign that was next to the rushing water to block it from hitting him. He continued on, completely dry.

"And his nose stuck in book," added three men to the girls. They nodded and both sang, "What a puzzle to the rest of us is Matt."

Matthew hadn't heard them. He jumped up on a fountain in the town square and sat on the ledge. He clutched the book to his chest with a grin.

"Oh, isn't this amazing?" he sang to a sheep who didn't answer. He showed the animal the book. "It's my favorite part because, you'll see!" He noticed another sheep had jumped on the ledge and showed it the page. "Here's where she meets Prince Charming," the sheep chomped off the corner of the page and Matthew moved the book away from it, "but she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three!"

A sheep herder came through and drove them away as Matthew continued to read. He eventually stood up and began walking again. He passed a hat shop and the gossip started up again.

"Now it's no wonder that his name means gift of God," a woman said in a suggestive tone, staring after him lustfully. "His looks have got no parallel!" Her husband in the shop next to her even nodded.

It was true, he was rather good-looking. He had flowy blond hair that framed his delicate face. He had just one stray curl on his head that stuck out. He could never get to go with the rest of his hair. He had large indigo eyes that were framed with glasses and almost always apologetic. Surprisingly, many people confused him with his brother who had the same color hair and glasses, but other than that, they didn't look much alike. His brother came off as more of a man than Matthew did since he was slightly more girlish and nicer.

"But behind that fair façade," the merchant in the shop chimed in. "I'm afraid he's rather odd. Very different from the rest of us."

"He's nothing like the rest of us," the whole town seemed to sing.

Some working men were moving sandbags onto a cart that Matthew walked across. One man bent down to see Matthew's ass and as Matthew stepped onto the other side of the cart, the previous side shot up like a seesaw and hit the man in the face.

"Yes, different from the rest of us is Matt."

A gunshot filled the air. A bird fell from the sky and a man ran out to catch it. He missed, sighed, picked it up, and stuffed it in the bag. He walked back slowly to a man waiting in the shadows. The man leaning against the wall had slightly spiky blond hair with a small black hat on the right side of his head, sparkly blue eyes, and pale skin. He was dressed in black pants and boots, a red shirt, and a black coat was slung over it all. He held a gun with black gloved hands and there was a quiver of arrows hanging on him.

"Wow, Matthias," the man carrying the bag deadpanned. "You didn't miss a shot. You're the greatest hunter in the whole world." Matthias didn't notice the sarcastic tone or hadn't bothered to.

"I know," he acknowledged leaning off the wall and stepping into the light. The other man rolled his violet eyes at his ignorant friend and messed with his hairpin.

"No beast alive stands a chance against you." He dropped his hand to cross his arms. "And no person either," he added in a bored tone. He only told Matthias what he wanted to hear because that was his job. He didn't get paid if he said nothing or talk-backed. He had to say nice things.

"It's true, Lukas," Matthias agreed with a grin. "And I've got my sights set on that one." He pointed his gun over at Matthew who was still holding his book and chatting with a woman.

"Him?" Lukas monotone, just making sure he wasn't talking about the woman he was speaking with.

"He's the one," Matthias continued as if he hadn't heard Lukas speak. "The lucky boy I'm going to marry."

"But he's-" Lukas attempted to reason, but Matthias cut him off.

"The most beautiful boy in town." Matthias paused. "Well, besides me that is. What man in all of France could compare to me? I'll tell you: none." Lukas sighed at Matthias' rambling about himself, like he always did.

"I know, but he's-" Again, he was interrupted as Matthias threw his gun into Lukas' arms.

"And that makes him second best. Don't I deserve someone that high on the list?" Matthias had leaned in with a slightly annoyed expression. "Oh, I get it." He backed away and laid a finger on his chin. "You're trying to talk me out of him so you can have him, that's what it is, isn't it?"

Lukas sighed. "How does your mind come up with these things? Oh wait, I forgot, you don't have one." Matthias pouted with a small glare.

"You're just jealous because I'm awesome and beautiful and capable of shooting ten birds with just one bullet!"

"You are such a liar. You can't do that and you aren't as awesome as you think."

"So you think I'm beautiful?" Lukas gave him the same bored stare he gave everyone, pulling the gun up.

"I'd never think that. I might add to your already inflated ego." Matthias grumbled.

"You're still jealous!" Lukas rolled his eyes again. "Jealous! Jealous! Jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous!" He put the gun up to Matthias' throat and laid his hand on the trigger. The man just smirked. "Do it."

"Idiot," Lukas muttered, pulling the gun away. "I wouldn't shoot you when there are so many witnesses." Matthias grinned in triumph. "Don't think I wouldn't do it, though."

"You wouldn't," Matthias said. "Anyway, we were talking about something before my beauty. What was it?"

"Marrying Matthew."

"Oh, yes." Matthias glanced over to see him walking that way. Quickly, he grabbed the gun from Lukas, acting manly. "Right from the moment that I meet him, saw him, I said he's gorgeous and I fell. Here in there's only he," as he sang, Matthew walked by with his nose buried in the book, "Who is beautiful as me. So I'm making plans to woo and marry Matt." He chased after Matthew with Lukas behind him.

As he was running after Matthew, he passed three girls in the same style dress but different colors. A girl in a pink dress with long brown hair that cascaded down her back with one stray hair that stuck out and a pink flower sighed dreamily after him. The one in yellow with huge boobs and short hair smiled sweetly after him, putting hands on either side of her face. The last girl dressed in green with a frying pan rolled her eyes at her friends and crossed her arms.

"Look there he goes, isn't he dreamy?" the two swooning over him sang. The other shook her head. "_Monsieur_ Gaston, oh he's so cute! Be still my heart, I'm hardly breathing. He's such a tall, dark, string, and handsome brute!" He turned and flashed them a quick smile and they fainted in joy. Almost all females did in his presence.

Matthew continued through the crowd easily, reading, while Matthias and Lukas struggled. They pushed through, picking up snippets of conversations.

"_Bonjour!"_

"Pardon!" Matthias called as he moved through the large crowd.

"Good day!"

"_Mais oui!"_

"You call this bacon?"

"What lovely grapes!"

"Some cheese!"

"Ten yards!"

"One pound!"

"'Xcuse me!" he shouted as he pushed past a group of ladies who proceeded to swoon.

"I'll get the knife!"

"Please let me through!" A few men were completely blocking him out.

"This bread!"

"Those fish!"

"It's stale!"

"They smell!"

"Madame's mistaken!"

"There must be more than this provincial life," Matthew sighed as he spun a circle. Oh, how he wished there was. He would slip in unnoticed, like always.

"Just watch, I'm going to make Matt my wife!" Matthias yelled. People flooded in and stared at Matthew as he walked on with his book. The street was crowding up again.

"Look there he goes a boy who's strange but special," the crowd began to sing. "A most peculiar _monsieur_!"

Matthias found a way out of the crowd. He climbed up a building while Lukas heaved a sigh from the ground and walked around the people. Matthew was emerging from the crowd as Matthias jumped to the next house.

"It's a pity and a sin he doesn't quite fit in!" they all sang before breaking off into groups to continue.

"But he really is a funny boy."

"A beauty but a funny boy," one group agreed.

"He really is a funny boy, that Matt!" they all sang again as a chorus of _bonjour's _sounded.

Matthew spun around, finally hearing them but only finding them muttering to each other and dispersing. He shrugged and turned back to his book. Matthias dropped down from the building in front of Matthew and walked in front of him, followed by Lukas.

"Hello, Matthew," he greeted with an overconfident smile. Matthew didn't look up.

"_Bonjour_ Matthias," he responded. Matthias quickly grabbed the book from his grip as he passed. "Matthias, may I have my book, please?" Matthias proceeded to tilt the book from side to side, looking at it as if it were an alien life form.

"How can you read this?" he questioned as he viewed it from a different angle. "There's no pictures!" Matthew hefted a sigh and a roll of his large eyes. He crossed his arms.

"Well, um, some people use their imagination," he said in a soft voice, like always.

"Hm? You say something?" Matthias asked. He hadn't heard him. _Of course not, nobody does, _he thought bitterly. He glanced over with a smile. "Matt, it's about time you got your head out of these books," to emphasize his point, he tossed the book in mud, "and paid attention to more important things, like me." He gestured to his face and Matthew suppressed a laugh. Him? Important? "The whole town's talking about it." Matthew slowly reached down, unnoticed as always, and grabbed the book. He quickly wiped away all mud on the hem of his shirt. As he does, the girls from earlier stare at Matthias and sigh inwardly. "It's not right for a person to read. Soon they start thinking and getting ideas," he trailed off.

"Matthias, you are positively prime evil," Matthew murmured, beginning to walk off, but being held back by the other when he draped a hand on his shoulder.

"Why thank you, Matt." Obviously Matthew was using to large of words for his tiny brain to comprehend. "Hey, whaddya' say you and me take a walk over to the tavern and have a look at my hunting trophies." He slipped under Matthias arms with a tight lipped smile.

"Maybe some other time, sorry," Matthew said. In all truth, he didn't like the tavern and his mother hated him going anywhere near it. He had seen his brother come home from there thrice and each time he wished he hadn't. He didn't go often and he didn't want him to. It was disgusting and full of drunks who wanted in your pants.

"What's wrong with him?" The girl in the pink scolded, shooting a glare over at Matthew.

"He's crazy!" They wished they could get that much attention from Matthias.

"He's gorgeous!" the pink one added, referring to Matthias. The green one rolled her eyes again and tossed her frying pan to the other hand.

"Please, I have to get home," Matthew insisted in his quiet voice, pushing Matthias away. He quickly high-tailed it up the trail to his home and went inside. Matthias stared after with narrowed eyes. Lukas decided he'd better earn his money he lost earlier for back talking.

"Don't worry, Matthias," he reassured in a non-reassuring tone. "You'll get him next time, no doubt." Matthias smirked and turned around, flashing another smile to the girls before heading to the tavern. He knew he'd get Matthew.

* * *

**I also know he's supposed to live with his father, but you know what, his mother is it. Besides, I have a role for France. And I am also writing a Lion King story at the same time so I will be alternating and I apologize in advance for late updates. I have done translations (all French, by the way.)**

**_Bonjour_- Hello  
**

**_Monsieur_- Mister, Sir  
**

**_Mais oui- _But yes**

******Alright, review and stuff.**


	3. Castles And Beasts

**Whoop! Another chapter! Enjoy, my sweet whores~**

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**BIRDIE AND THE BEAST**

**CHAPTER TWO-CASTLES AND BEASTS**

Matthew hurried into his house to be greeted by his brother, Alfred. He smiled and held out part of whatever he was eating. Matthew shook his head.

"Where's mom?" he asked in his quiet voice. Alfred shrugged, took a bite, and shrugged again.

"Her room," he guessed. As Matthew went to turn to go to his mom's room, Alfred spoke up. "Why were you talking with Matthias? He's a conceited douche."

"Oh, he was going to ask me something but first he had to insult my reading," Matthew answered nonchalantly, holding up the book in his hand. Alfred was about to say something but was quickly stopped. "It's okay, I'm used to it. Besides, I just say some big words and they get confused. It's quite fun."

Alfred smiled lightly, almost sourly. He shrugged again and took another bite. "You know; if they give you any trouble, just tell me." That was how Alfred was, like an older brother to a girl, which kind of bugged Matthew but made him feel protected or whatever. "Anyway, what book is that?"

"Oh, Sleeping Beauty," he responded, opening up the hard cover of the book and smiling at the feel of the paper. "I've read it before. It's the one about the girl who pricks he finger on a-"

"I know," Alfred said with a laugh at the look on Matthew's face as he described the story. It was kind of like he wanted to be a character in the book. "I'm going to the tavern tonight." There seemed to be a question hanging in the room: _Are you going to come this time or not, pansy?_

"That's cool," Matthew said with a small smile as he tried to slip a little less noticed to the back of the house. He didn't know why he always felt the need to escape whenever his brother brought up the tavern, but he just did. "I'm going to be reading."

He turned the corner quickly. He walked down the hall, hearing a slight sigh from the kitchen. Matthew sighed as well and opened the door to his mother's room. His mom looked up at him with a bright smile. She tucked a small lock of her short blond hair behind her ear and stood to greet her son. Her brilliant, kind blue eyes gazed the book and his hand.

"Another book?" she asked. "Is it new?"

"No," Matthew said with a shake of his head. "It's Sleeping Beauty. I read it to you days ago." Even though his mom could read, she always asked Matthew to read to her. "He gave it to me."

"Really? That's sweet." His mom grabbed the book and flipped through the pages. "I'll put it with the rest, unless you want to read it." "The rest" was just a few books he had borrowed so many times the owner gave them to him.

"I'm reading it again," he murmured and his mom strained to hear him. She smiled and handed it back to him.

"Honey?" she said. Matthew looked up from his book. "I'm going to the market." The market was a place far from their home that had some of the best foods and other things. Matthew's mother went every once in a while. "Can you get Alfred?" He nodded and went to the kitchen.

"Alfie?" he called quietly. Alfred looked up from the table he was staring at for no particular reason. "Mom wants you." He stood and followed his brother back to their mom's room.

"Yes?" Alfred asked sweetly.

"I'm leaving for the market in a moment and would like to bring something home for my boys," she explained. "What would you like, Alfred?"

Alfred paused to think before answering. "Bow and arrow please." His mother raised an eyebrow.

"And you'll stay out of trouble?"

"I'll try," he responded with a grin. His mom rolled her eyes with the same smile as her son and turned to Matthew.

"What would you like?"

Matthew stayed silent for a while, being nudged every once and a while by Alfred. He thought about this for some time before finally smiling up at his mother.

"All I'd like is a rose you've picked specially for me," he answered. His mother returned the smile, cooing about his sweetness before sending them on their way.

"Matt," Alfred said. His brother looked over. "That sounded so gay." Matthew shrugged his shoulders and followed his brother back to the kitchen.

"Oh well. I don't care," he answered with a small smile. His brother rolled his sapphire eyes.

"Will you make me some food?" he asked. Matthew raised an eyebrow at him.

"Didn't you just eat?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Fine."

* * *

Their mother set off for the market the next day, reminding them that if the house didn't look like it did as she left when she came back, there'd be hell to pay. The brothers just smiled and nodded. Once she left they turned to each other.

"I'll be at the tavern," Alfred said before hastily walking down the road into town.

Matthew sighed and went back inside to read his book and wish for some kind of magical thing to happen to him that could make him a story book character. _If only,_ he thought as he opened Sleeping Beauty and curled up in the highly uncomfortable wooden chair at the kitchen table to read.

* * *

Their mother, Jeanne, had gotten everything she needed from the market, including Alfred's gift though she was sure he'd get into so much trouble with it. She was on her way back when a storm hit. Her horse could barely walk straight, much less fast, in this weather.

After fretting about not being able to find an inn for the night and having to ride through the storm, a light that wasn't caused by the storm caught her attention. Cautiously, she guided her horse to the light, realizing it was a castle as she got closer.

It rose high into the sky like the mountains surrounding it, sitting on rocks that jutted from the moat that circled them. Its Gothic theme was slightly menacing with its gargoyles and chipped walls. It was black and gray, but that was most likely from the dark of the storm that flashed with lightning every once and a while. There was an enormous wall with a wrought iron gate that had rusted over the years leading down a cobblestone bridge to the large wooden doors.

Jeanne stopped at the gate, nudging at it. It opened. She was a little shocked at whoever owned this marvelous and frightening building that they left it opened for anyone to come and take something, but shrugged it away. As she rode her horse down the path, wind howled and thunder boomed. She needed shelter for the night and hopefully the owner wasn't as scary as their castle.

She noticed a place where she could tie up her horse. Jumping off of him, she slipped on the slick stones and accidently smacked him. The horse was startled and her darting up quickly didn't help at all. She tried to calm him, but the moves were too fast to be soothing an animal. The spooked horse rose onto his hind legs and sprinted down the path. She took off after him but on the slick cobblestones, she couldn't keep up. She was surprised the horse could even run that fast in the weather. So she watched it retreat into the woods.

Sighing, she looked back towards the castle. Up close, she saw even more chips in the stones and ivy creeping up the walls. There were a few intricate designs in the stone, but it was hard to tell what they were in the dark. She looked up and saw the room with the light. Hopefully the person in the room would invite her in.

She raised a hand to the brass knockers in the shape of an angry lion. She chose to ignore it and grabbed it, hitting it against the thick wooden door. The knock rebounded through the house and the small area in front of the door. To her surprise, this door opened as well.

"Hello?" she called. She didn't want to intrude on anything, but she did need warmth, shelter, and food. She shivered as drops of rain slid down her neck and into her shirt. "Is…Is anyone here?"

She froze as she heard a voice that seemed to be behind her. She spun, finding no one. Probably the wind, but she wasn't taking any chances. Plucking up a little courage, she hesitantly took a step inside. When nothing happened, she took another and another.

Soon she had entered a magnificent foyer with beautifully dusty tiles and mangy carpet that lead to stairs. Those stairs split off into more stairs on either side with a rugged looking curtain hanging over them. A table sat on either side of the door with wilting flowers, a clock, and a candle the glowed lightly. Even with all the filth, she saw what a beauty this place would be with some cleaning.

"I-I don't mean to barge in," Jeanne called, scanning the area for any movement. "The storm is terrible. My horse abandoned me. I need somewhere to stay for the night."

Still, nothing moved and no one answered.

She stepped further into the house, branching off to the right. She came upon a dining hall filled with a long table and at least thirty or more chairs, some broken. On the table was a meal consisting of anything a hungry stranger might want. There was even dessert.

"Um, I…" she stuttered as she tried to think of a reasonable excuse for having such food just lying out. She found none. "The food…is it…um…is this for m-me?" She waited for an answer. Receiving none, she continued. "Is it okay if I e-eat this?"

The room was quiet and Jeanne shrugged. She was hungry; she hadn't eaten a thing since she left the market that morning. Slipping into an unbroken chair, she picked up a fork and started to eat the delicious looking food.

As she ate, she thought she heard hushed voices in the foyer, but dismissed it as the storm that still rattled on outside.

She bit into the last bite of the marvelous dessert, set the fork down, and stood up. She had no idea where to go and if she should stay. It was a little odd here. She also didn't want to overstay an uninvited welcome.

But she was rather curious.

She ventured up the stairs that creaked with each step she took. The corridor she stood in was dusty, dark, and slightly terrifying with its statues of armor that seemed to follow her every step under rusty helmets.

She walked a little ways down the corridor before stopping at an open door. Inside, a fire blazed in the fireplace and a bed that looked rather inviting considering it was the only thing in the room that wasn't covered in a thick layer of dust.

The person living here really should clean up.

She called once more for someone, but, like always, the house remained eerily silent. She was exhausted from a long day, but should she really stay? As she slid in between the blanket and mattress, no longer feeling as cold, the answer came immediately. Her eyes slid shut and she drifted to sleep, ignoring the sound of thunder, rain that splattered on the window, and the quiet hum of voices.

* * *

When she blinked her eyes open the next morning, light and a slight breeze filtered through the open window. The fire was out and the room wasn't quite as dirty as before. She stretched, remembering briefly what had happened the night before. Looking around, she spotted a mug of coffee and a plate of fruit on the bedside table. She raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything as she reached for the dishes.

After eating the small, satisfying breakfast, Jeanne noticed a dress folded up in a chair. She slowly stood up and grabbed it. It was an extremely light blue, borderline white, with a white collar and red bow. She sighed, looking back at her own soaked and dirty dress. She quickly changed.

Her gaze swept the room once more, landing on a small mirror across from her. The reflection was of a mud smeared face-she didn't even know when she got mud on herself-and tangled blond hair. Quickly, she licked her thumb and dragged it along some of the mud, swiping it away. She did this to all of her fingers and got most of the mud off. Then she ran her hands through her hair carefully. She detangled a few knots before deciding she looked a little better and left the room.

"I'd like to thank you," she said even though she knew there wasn't going to be an answer. "I mean, if you're even there. I'll be staying for a few more moments while I decide on how to get home." She added the last part just in case the owner was listening.

Thinking of ways she could back to her family, she strode through the castle. She wasn't paying much attention to where she was or where she was going, just kept walking down the corridors and stairs, winding pathways she was sure to get lost in.

She paused in one corridor. In this hall, there was no suit of armor or painting or goblin like statue. There was however, more dust than any other hall, broken mirrors, and ripped up paintings. She noticed a door at the end of the hall with claw marks and splintered wood. Cocking her head to the side, she walked down the corridor to the room, avoiding the broken glass on the floor.

When she reached it and tried pushing it open, it appeared to be locked. _That's a first_, she thought. She pushed a little more weight against it. It still didn't move. Then she noticed the handle and face-palmed. She turned it and _pulled_ the door. It slid open on rusty hinges.

She gasped. The room was littered with trash, dust, broken shards of glass like the hall, and one large ripped painting with claw marks covering it. A bed was on one side and a couch near the balcony, but that was all and the room was huge. It could've fit Jeanne's entire house in it. A table was off in the distance, near the couch. There were columns through the room, wrapped in ivy and chipped.

She turned her attention to the table. There, in a glass casing, was a glowing red rose. She remembered what Matthew had wanted. Sure, the rose wouldn't be picked by _her_, but still. And it was glowing! Who cares it if she picked it?

She walked to it, watching her step, and stared at it in awe as the glow seemed to shift from red to pink to white and then back. She reached up and carefully touched the glass. She pulled the glass off and set it to the side. Her hand was seconds away from grabbing the thorny stem.

A loud thud and footsteps that echoed through the castle caused her to turn around. She gasped at it as it slid, almost missing the hall, and ran down the hall with glaring red eyes. Suddenly, she realized that she was fucked if she just kept standing there. She leapt behind the table, but the thing was already there. Damn, it moved fast! Hands-no, more like paws- grabbed her by the waist, lifting her into the air.

"What were you doing?!" the creature growled.

She felt claws digging into her side. It was too dark in the room to really see who, or what, had grabbed her. The only thing she could see was red eyes.

"I-I was j-just-"

"You were trying to take my awesome rose that's what it was! You can't have it, you can't touch it, you can't even look at it!" it roared. "Ungrateful! I gave you a place to stay, food, and warmth but you try to take from the awesome me!" It noticed she wasn't saying anything, just staring in terror at it. "What now?! Can't handle seeing a beast?!"

"I-I ca-can! I-I-"

"No you can't, but that isn't important!" it bellowed. "That rose isn't for the taking! You could have killed me and I'll kill you for that!"

"No!" Jeanne shouted. "P-ple-please!"

"Too late!" it shouted. "But the awesome me can wait until tomorrow to get rid of you! Today I have something…important…to do. So into the towers you go!"

* * *

**Yup, "Maurice" is Jeanne D' Arc. Anyway, review! Post new chapter soon, promise!**


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